Is ALTREP "non-API"?
Hi Yutani, ALTREP is part of the official R api, as illustrated by the presence of src/include/R_ext/Altrep.h. Everything declared in the header files in that directory is official API AFAIK (and I believe that is more definitive than the manuals). The documentation of ALTREP has lagged behind its implementation unfortunately, which may partially my fault for not submitting doc patches for it against the manuals. Sorry for my contribution to that, I'll see if I can loop back around to contributing documentation for ALTREP. Best, ~G
On Sun, Apr 21, 2024 at 6:36?PM Hiroaki Yutani <yutani.ini at gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks, Hernando, Sorry, "API" is a bit confusing term in this context, but what I want to discuss is the "API" that Writing R Extension defines as quoted in my previous email. It's probably different from an ordinary sense when we casually say "R C API". You might wonder why I care about such a difference. This is because calling a "non-API" is considered a violation of CRAN repository policy, which means CRAN will kick out the R package. I know many CRAN packages use ALTREP, but just being accepted by CRAN at the moment doesn't mean CRAN will keep accepting it. So, I want to clarify the current status of ALTREP. Best, Yutani 2024?4?22?(?) 10:17 <hcortina71 at gmail.com>:
Hello, I don't believe it is illegal, as ALTREP "implements an
abstraction
underneath the C API". And is "compatible with all code which uses the API". Please see slide deck by Gabriel Becker, with L Tierney, M Lawrence and
T
Kalibera.
.pdf <
ALTREP framework implements an abstraction underneath traditional R C API - Generalizes whats underneath the API - Without changing how data are accessed - Compatible with all C code which uses the API - Compatible with R internals I hope this helps, Hernando -----Original Message----- From: R-devel <r-devel-bounces at r-project.org> On Behalf Of Hiroaki
Yutani
Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2024 8:48 PM
To: r-devel <r-devel at r-project.org>
Subject: [Rd] Is ALTREP "non-API"?
Writing R Extension[1] defines "API" as:
Entry points which are documented in this manual and declared in an
installed header file. These can be used in distributed packages and will
only be changed after deprecation.
But, the document (WRE) doesn't have even a single mention of ALTREP, the
term "ALTREP" itself or any entry points related to ALTREP. Does this
mean,
despite the widespread use of it on R packages including CRAN ones,
ALTREP
is not the API and accordingly using it in distributed packages is considered illegal? Best, Yutani [1]: https://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/r-release/R-exts.html#The-R-API [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
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